1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network apparatus which constructs a wireless network with other wireless access points or wireless terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, when a user engaging in network management performs various managements (such as installation of software, maintenance with a change in settings, etc.), each network apparatus connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) has been often managed through the network not by use of an operation portion provided additionally in the network apparatus but by use of a terminal unit (hereinafter referred to as “user's terminal”) located on the same network from necessity of central control (the network apparatus to be managed from the user's terminal will be also referred to as “to-be-managed device”).
Such a kind of remote management is obtained by management using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) or embedded Web server technology. As a result, the user can perform management of a large number of to-be-managed devices disposed on the network, using the user's terminal at one place.
As such a network apparatus, JP-A-2001-251337 mentioned below discloses a device having a function as follows. Assume that settings on the side of a to-be-managed device (router) are changed on the side of a user's terminal (host) connected though a network, and there is a problem in the changed settings. Due to the problem, connection between the user's terminal (host) and the to-be-managed device (router) may be cut. In such a case, the settings are restored to their original settings on the to-be-managed device (router) side when a period of time has passed. Thus, the connection between the user's terminal (host) and the to-be-managed device (router) is recovered.
With such a network apparatus, the connection between the user's terminal (host) and the to-be-managed device (router) is maintained with the changed settings as long as there is no problem in the changed settings of the to-be-managed device (router). Accordingly the user can confirm from the user's terminal (host) side via the network the fact that the to-be-managed device (router) after changing the settings is operating properly. On the other hand, when there is a problem in the changed settings, the connection between the user's terminal (host) and the to-be-managed device (router) is restored with the settings which have not been changed. Accordingly the user can confirm from the user's terminal (host) side via the network the fact that there has been a problem in the changed settings. Thus, the user can redo changing the settings or perform other management works if necessary.
JP-A-2001-251337 is referred to as a related art.
However, setting items on the to-be-managed device side may include a setting item such that the connection between the user's terminal and the to-be-managed device will be cut as a result of proper operation of the to-be-managed device after the setting item is changed. When such a setting item is changed, access to the to-be-managed device via the network cannot be gained from the user's terminal, unlike the network apparatus according to JP-A-2001-251337. In this case, therefore, there is a defect that the user cannot confirm on the user's terminal side whether the to-be-managed device after changing the settings is operating properly or not.
Specific description will be made with terms used in wireless LAN systems in conformity with IEEE 802.11 series standards (IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE802.11g, etc.) by way of example. When a user's terminal and a to-be-managed device have been connected through a wireless network, settings about wireless connection of the to-be-managed device may be changed from the user's terminal. In this event, a communication channel used by the to-be-managed device before changing the settings may be changed for another communication channel, or identification information (SSID: Service Set Identifier) used for identifying the network to be connected before changing the settings may be changed for another identification information. In such a case, communication via the wireless network cannot be established between the user's terminal and the to-be-managed device. Even though the user's terminal and the to-be-managed device use network addresses corresponding to one and the same network before changing the settings, the network address of the to-be-managed device may be changed with the settings being changed. In this event, communication cannot be established between the user's terminal and the to-be-managed device. Accordingly, the situations presented here by way of example lead to a problem that the user cannot confirm on the user's terminal side whether the to-be-managed device after changing the settings is operating properly or not.